


A Taste of Osmanthus Wine

by Zhongli Simp (Harkena)



Category: Food Fantasy (Video Game), 原神 | Genshin Impact (Video Game)
Genre: Childe is still somehow bloodthirsty, Dialogue goes brrr, Food Fantasy AU, Food Fantasy lore, Food Soul! Zhongli, Gen, M/M, Master Attendant! Childe, Mention of Childe's siblings, Mention of some fallen angels, Mention of the other harbingers, Might be ooc ?, Might contain headcanons for some plothole-y lore (Will be marked as such), No need to have played the game to understand (I think), Self-Indulgent, Some Humor, Zhongli rambles, will update tags as the story progresses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 13:08:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29542842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Harkena/pseuds/Zhongli%20Simp
Summary: Childe is a newly appointed master attendant in the chefs' guild, a title with which comes the opportunity to summon a food soul : a being that particularly differs from humans by the powers they possess. Ironically enough, the food soul he ends up summoning seemed to know more about the world they lived in than he did.
Relationships: Tartaglia | Childe/Zhongli (Genshin Impact)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 71





	1. Embers and Crystals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My first ever serious (?) fanfic, I honestly don't really know where this is going. I mean, I kind of do, kinda.  
> English isn't my native tongue and I have a bad habit of describing insufficiently and overdoing it with dialogue.
> 
> Hope you enjoy your read anyway c:

A golden fire crackled, its fiery flames consuming the soul embers and filling the room in an incandescent light. Few of the magic crystals scattered about shattered at the rising temperature, thus losing any trace of their former shine.

In the heat of the moment, Childe could barely perceive a peculiar silhouette. Then, once the light subsided and his eyes had adjusted, it was clear that his summon had been successful.

In front of him stood a man of an ethereal appearance and, seemingly, a few years older than him. 

“Greetings.” the man in question bowed, his black and golden silk robe gracefully swaying along at the gesture. 

Childe couldn’t believe his eyes.

“I am Osmanthus Wine.” he pursued, prudently stepping closer to him. “It is a pleasure to meet you, master attendant."

The ginger haired man blinked once, then twice. He couldn’t believe that he had actually managed to summon anything, even less something or someone sentient.

_“So, this is a food soul …”_ he thought. _“... My own food soul ?”_

He was beautiful.

Osmanthus Wine was beautiful.

Ocean blue eyes met amber ones. Oddly enough, their faint glow brought him a warm, comforting feeling. The tips of his long, dark brown hair seemed to have been dyed in the same shade as his irises. 

“Are you feeling unwell, master attendant ?” Osmanthus Wine’s deep voice snapped him back to reality.

"Oh-” jumped Childe. “No, I'm fine. Don’t worry about it.” he smiled sheepishly, his current expression betraying his words. “Although… There’s something that really bothers me."

“What could it be, master attendant ?"

“Ah yes, about that… Can you… You know ? Not call me ‘master attendant’ ? It’s just… weird.”

“But… You are indeed my master attendant, and I must address you as such.” he replied, perplexed. Then, he brought a hand to hold his chin, deep in thought. “Very well. What shall I refer to you as?" he spoke up after a mere moment.

“Well… First of all, my name’s Ajax.”

“With all due respect, I am not certain that I am comfortable with being on a first name basis, especially this early following our first encounter."

“Well then... How about Childe ?”

“... Childe ?”

“Eh, yeah. It’s way shorter. It can also be a nickname of some sort.”

A short silence ensued. Childe found it awkward and interminable while Osmanthus, socially clueless and inapt as he was, found it to be rather comfortable.

After a moment of reflexion, the said food soul nodded in approval. On his end, Childe laughed in hope of relieving the tension caused by the previous situation.

“Anyway, since we got that out of the way... By any chance, do you go by any name yourself ?”

“As previously told, it is Osmanthus wine. However-” 

His voice cracked, interrupted by a fragment of a memory long forgotten attempting to resurface in his mind.

"... If you must, you can refer to me as ‘Zhongli’.”

* * *

_In a vast field of fully bloomed lilies, a young woman stood under the pale, shimmering moonlight._

_"Guizhong ?" a deep voice broke the silence. "I’ve heard you asked for me.”_

_She turned around, smiling softly._

_"Osmanthus wine ! I did indeed ask for you, I'm glad you came. Come closer, let's look at the flowers together ; they are so pretty at this time of the year."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For reference, I've been playing Food Fantasy for about 1 year and Genshin Impact since day 1.  
> Where has my life gone ? I don't know. By the way, I also play Arknights. I am in gacha hell.
> 
> I'm still not sure how AO3 works and I'll eventually have to do something about my writing.
> 
> Anyway, here's a bit of summarized lore on the side :  
> \- Food souls are, more or less, physical humanoid manifestations of the food in question, their appearance is part of their spirit;  
> \- In-game, they are summoned using one or the other currencies : "soul embers" or "magic crystals";  
> \- Food souls are rarely given names by their master attendants, and being referred to as their food name isn't unusual to them;  
> \- You don't need to be a master attendant to summon one, but it is more of a norm in modern days.


	2. A Knife and a Slowly Cooked Bamboo Shoot Soup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Childe and Zhongli get to know each other and the joy of customer service.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi ! This chapter contains a bit more lore than the last, as well as some humor.  
> Oh, and some worldbuilding I guess. If you can call it that.
> 
> Enjoy your read ! c:

"So, Osmanthus Wine… Or should I say, ‘Zhongli’ ?”

Childe laid down his arms on the counter, a hand supporting his head.

"Tell me, what can you do?" he inquired, a sly grin on his face.

Zhongli cleared his throat.

"Food souls are bound to their master attendants by a contract, one that stipulates that the food soul must serve their master attendant and protect them at all cost. As such, I am responsible for your security and will take any order as long as they are directly issued from you.”

Childe tilted his head, squinting in confusion.

"Huh, what ? No, I mean...'You' as in you know… ‘You’ personally."

"Oh, pardon me.” he lightly bowed as an apology. “As for what I am capable of… This constitutes a pertinent inquiry indeed." 

He thought for a brief moment.

"I am capable of summoning rock contraptions, shielding oneself and summoning a meteor that can wreak havoc on our enemies."

"Zhongli… We're in the kitchen, I was asking culinary-wise... Anyway, that's neat- Wait a minute…”

There was a brief silence between them. 

“You can do what !?”

"Summon a meteor."

"How is that even possible ?”

"I don't know…" he replied, looking distraught. "It just happens…"

"W-What? What do you mean it ‘just happens’ ? I’ve heard about food souls manipulating elements like fire, but never summoning a whole meteor !”

"I… thought it was normal."

"Normal !? Are you serious ? Ugh." he brought a hand to his face. “Anyway…”

"Are you perhaps displeased, master attendant?"

"No! It's just that… Well, this conversation is going nowhere... Plus, I told you to call me ‘Childe’ !" he sighed. "Anyway, back to what I was saying earlier; are there any dishes you know how to cook ?"

“... Dishes ?”   
  
“It can be anything, really.”

“Ah, well. There is this one dish that I can cook : bamboo shoot soup, to be exact."   
  
“Really !?” he stood up, beaming. “That’s sure to bring something special to the menu, it’s been awhile since anything new was added !"

“However, there is a minor problem."

"Eh ? What is it ?"

"I prefer to prepare it with high quality ingredients."

"No problem, we can go foraging later!"

"As for the method that I use to prepare it... It involves a long time of slow cooking. In fact, a few portions of it require several hours to be ready."

"Ah…"

“My apologies, I do now realize that this information is useless.”

“N-no, not at all ! We… We can always try to come up with a faster version, you know ! If you don’t mind, that is.”

Zhongli thought, a hand holding his chin.

“Indeed, I do not mind. I will gladly oblige to aid you in doing so.”

"Good. Anything else ?"

"I… I cannot think of any other dish. My culinary knowledge only extends itself to lost cuisine. While I am aware that this cuisine is not, as the name supposes, completely "lost", I am in fact certain that the ingredients themselves might be extinct."

"... Can you please repeat that in 10 words or less ?" Childe deadpanned. 

"In brief... No, I do not think so."

"Alright ! We'll come up with a faster process for the bamboo shoot soup and I'll put you on waiter duty, does that sound good ?"

"It does, Childe. Thank you kindly."

"Don't mention it."

* * *

_ “ Osmanthus ! ” _

_ Guizhong stood at an old-fashioned stone furnace, stirring a bowl of what seemed to be soup. A delicate, yet appetizing, aroma filled the room. _

_ “Guizhong ? What is the matter ? Are you injured ?” inquired Osmanthus Wine as he came up behind her in a hurry. _

_ “Eh ! I’m fine, don’t worry about it.” she said, beaming.  _

_ She held a wooden spoon up to the level of his mouth, her other hand right under the other in case it would spill. _

_ “I’ve made some bamboo shoot soup, do you want to do the honors of being my taste tester ?” _

_ “... Taste tester ? Guizhong, I do not need to eat. I am a food soul, after all.” _

_ She nudged the spoon closer to his face. _

_ “Please ? I’ve been cooking it since early this morning. The fact that you don’t need to eat doesn’t excuse you from trying some ! It doesn’t change that you are able to.” _

_ “Fine, if it will please you.”  _

_ Before he could grab a spoonful, Guizhong promptly, yet gently shoved the spoon in his mouth. _

_ “So, how does it taste ?” _

_ “Ah, it is excellent. It has been cooked at the right temperature and the broth is particularly flavorful : the ham itself seems to have been selected according to Light Kingdom’s gourmet standards. As for the pork belly, it is quite fresh. I suppose that it must have been hunted in the wild outskirts of Gloriville, while the bamboo shoots seem to be of the densest kind which can be presumably found south-east of Sakurajima. The combination of these high quality ingredients, coupled with the utmost care and a formidable technique, truly distinguishes it from any other equally enriching dish.”  _

_ Guizhong was left agape, eyes wide open. _

_ “My apologies, did I perhaps offend you ?”  _

_ “No !” she blinked. “I was only taken back, that’s all. I’m used to your long lectures, but I didn’t actually expect you to be that knowledgeable when it comes to cooking.” she chuckled, bringing one of her sleeves close to her mouth to restrain her laughter “Though I must ask…” she put down her ustensil. “Do you know how to cook ?” _

_ “... Cook ?” he coughed. “I do not… I did not think it would be an important skill to master or even possess, as nutrition is not a matter that must concern food souls.” _

_ “Ah, don’t be like that ! How about I teach you ? We’ll begin with an easy recipe, I promise.” _

_ “I would like that. Thank you, Guizhong.” _

* * *

It has been a moderately busy day in the restaurant, considering that it had only been open for a few days. Childe was on cooking duty, while Zhongli took orders from and served the customers : it represented an arduous task for both of them, yet they had managed to retain a certain sense of professionalism. 

“Childe ?” Zhongli spoke louder than usual, aware that his master attendant was in another room a few meters behind him. “There is a certain customer who refuses to pay their bill. What shall my next course of action be to deal with such an individual ?”

The customer in question glared daggers at the waiter. However, from a lack of proper human interaction, this one could unfortunately not decipher the meaning of the bitter feelings directed at him.”

“A ‘dine and dasher’ ?” Childe shouted back. “Just beat him up, it’ll get the message across.”

He did not understand or, at least, he thought that he must have misheard him. 

“I thought that we food souls were only summoned and dispatched to battle fallen angels, to save and protect humans, not bring harm to them.”

“Who cares ? Are they really human if they can’t even show some basic respect to their customer service ?”

“I do not see the pertinence of your argument considering the current dilemma I am facing-”

“Alright, alright. Hold on, I’m coming.”

The creaking of the pantry door shortly followed by the noise of a knife being taken from its block could be heard. A minute later, Childe stood at the door frame separating the kitchen from the dining room, back leaned against it and knife in hand.

“Childe, may I ask what you are intending to do ?”

“Oh, you know... Provide quality customer service.”

“Please, put that knife down.”

_Dling._

The crystalline chime of the doorbell abruptly interrupted their verbal exchange. Heels clicking on the floor, a, tall, platinum-haired woman entered the premises, shortly followed by another person who could presumably be her food soul.

“Ajax !” she grinned maliciously. “It’s been a while. ~”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think it was clear enough, but I'll summarize the bit of lore that was shown in this chapter just in case :
> 
> \- Food souls are immortal : they can't die of old age nor do they grow up;  
> \- They can be very powerful and their powers vary, but they are not invincible;  
> \- They do not need to eat to sustain themselves, though they can eat and feel hungry and/or full;  
> \- On that note, anything considered a fundamental need for a human is not a necessity for them.


	3. An Unexpected and Undesirable Visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Childe receives a particular visitor, a familiar face that he'd rather see the less possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again ! This chapter revolves around how the Cryo archon + the eleventh harbingers were implemented in the AU.  
> Wrote this in one day, tried to not make it too dialogue-heavy and it'll probably get more interesting next chapter.
> 
> I've been uploading every 2 days so far, but I am not sure that I can keep the pace due to my studies.
> 
> As always, enjoy your read !

"... Signora ? What are you even doing here ?"

Childe stepped to the side, taking a defensive posture. At his gesture, Signora couldn't restrain her mocking laughter.

"Ajax, it's been a while." she said, holding her arm up. "Relax, I'm not here to laugh at you."

"Yet you just did."

"Sorry, I couldn't help it. You've displayed such tomfoolery that I couldn't hold it back.”

"Right... Just get to the point already."

"Oh please, stop looking so tense. After all, I am gracing you with my presence, what a privilege !"

He regained his composure and, as he was about to retort, Zhongli came up behind him out of curiosity.

"Childe, who may this be ?"

He turned around at the sound of his voice.

"Oh, right. This is Signora. Well, that's more like her codename. She's part of the chef guild in the Nevras branch like me. As for the names, it's just the Tsaritsa, the head of the branch, who has a weird obsession with them.

"Ah, are there any other members than mrs. Signora and yourself ?"

"Oh, there sure are. It’s a long story”. He sighed, continuing anyway. “First, there's Scaramouche, who I haven't seen in a while after he went back to his hometown in Sakurajima; something about "having culture" or whatever. Second, there’s Dottore…" The look of disdain on his face was apparent. "'Don’t know what’s with that guy, the last news I heard about him are about how he got kicked out of Nevras Academy for 'unethical practices.' As for the others... There's Capitano, no idea about him either. Even for Pulcinella, the one who recruited me in the first place, I have no idea what he's up to nowadays."

"Are you done yet ?" Signora sighed, crossing her arms. "I don't have all day to attend to you, Tartaglia."

"Tartaglia ?" Inquired Zhongli.

"It's… complicated." Ajax turned around to face the haughty woman, directing "stop calling me by that name" glare at her.

" **Ajax**. As I was previously saying, I came here for something. A thing far more important than pointless banter and useless info-dumping."

"Then just say it already."

She smirked.

"The Tsaritsa wanted me to advise you that she is holding a meeting soon, back in the Nevras headquarters. As for a piece of friendly advice…"

She put a hand to her hips.

"I've noticed the presence of a fallen angel around here. I'm not exactly sure what kind yet, but it's not a rube for sure. I advise you to take care of it soon. Well, that is unless you want one of your dear customers to get hurt… or even die."

"Well, thanks for the message. I guess."

"You're welcome, my dear Ajax ! Oh, and one last thing."

"It better be the very last." he frowned.

"Very interesting Food Soul you have there. I could even say that it seems to be very powerful. She remarked with a sly grin as she brought a hand to her head, finger resting near her lips. "Unlike the likes of you."

At this snarky remark, Childe unknowingly clenched his jaw and fists. Seeing him in this state, Zhongli (who was mostly observing until now) stepped forward, holding him back. "It is not worth it, Childe. She is only trying to provoke you." he spoke lower, almost like a whisper. Childe slightly flinched at the gentleness his words.

"Anyway, my job here is done. See you at the meeting, Ajax. Just come crawling back to me if you need any help with your pest control." she grinned one last time, turning away and walking to the door. Her food soul followed shortly behind her, looking nothing less than nervous after witnessing their master attendant’s behavior. 

The other food soul’s gaze was affixed on them until he could no longer see them through the door's window.

"Her food soul… They seem… familiar." he mumbled to himself. Childe put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Nevermind her, let's go back to tending to the customers. Alright ?"

* * *

_"Osmanthus, do you remember what I told you, the day that we first met ?"_

_She smiled at the rare opportunity that she could see an emotion cross his face : confusion._

_"The fact that humans are as fragile as dust." she pursued._

_Both stood at a balcony, laying their arms on the wooden railing and looking at the moon together._

_"Another question then. Osmanthus, do you know what differs humans from Food Souls ?"_

_"I am uncertain, Guizhong."_

_"Then allow me to explain."_

_She cleared her throat._

_"Humans and food souls, they are alike as much as they differ. Yet, both share the same fate : death. As different as it may be. You see, humans are mortals, they live then eventually die; be it from disaster or strife. They are vulnerable and afraid and because they are so, they try to become more intelligent. In fact, that is one of the reasons that led them to discover the existence of food souls, immortal beings who could serve and protect them. In fact, their existence itself can be narrowed down to a single purpose : to combat fallen angels, either losing their life at their hands or becoming what they once swore to destroy."_

_Her smile hid a slight hint of sadness._

_“Osmanthus, I want you to remember that Fallen Angels are no different than we are, whether it is a question of humans or food souls."_

_She delicately closed her eyes._

_“After all, Fallen Angels originate from humans themselves : their pain, their hatred and their vice..._ _I want you to keep it in mind."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, a summary of the lore shown in this chapter :  
> \- Master attendants are part of the chef guild that is world-wide;  
> \- The same world is named Tierra and there are seven region;  
> \- Nevras has an academy, which is the place where scholars first discovered food souls;  
> \- Fallen angels are, in some way, the opposite of food souls : their origins vary. Rubes are lesser fallen angels;  
> \- Some come from humans' souls after dying a specific way or from the accumulation of strong, negative emotions.  
> (On this note, some cases include animals mutating into fallen angels and "man-made" deities coming to life.)


	4. Foraging Outing and Textile Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zhongli convinces his master attendant to accompany him when this one heads out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello ! I haven't updated in a few days even though I had this in my draft. It hasn't been that long, but still.  
> Fun fact : I often look back at my writing and ask myself it's even readable. I think I'm being too hard on myself.
> 
> I did previously say that the next chapter would be more interesting, but I think that the pacing (?) of the story shouldn't be too fast.  
> This isn't a filler chapter, but it helps with setting some context before anything big actually happens. I don't know how to write.
> 
> Enjoy reading c:

“Childe, are you leaving ?” 

It has been a few days since they both last saw Signora, a fellow member of the chef guild’s Nevras branch that Childe was part of. Presently, it was the morning of a holiday. Such an event implied that restaurants could be closed for the day to the joy of the workers who could then take a much deserved rest and partake in the various festivities. Meanwhile, the young master attendant had decided to take this opportunity to go oversome work he had previously neglected. After all, he desperately needed to take off his mind of that indesirable visit and concentrate on something else, anything. Otherwise, he'd probably spend his new acquired free time complaining to his poor food soul for hours on end. This one had not the slightest of clue about how human emotions worked; he could even less possibly fathom what could have affected him to the point of brooding in that dreaded state.

“Yeah, I need to go do some foraging." he replied, sitting on the step in front of the main door. "The pantry's starting to feel empty, it wouldn’t hurt to stock up on some ingredients.” he continued as he laced his shoes.

Zhongli crossed his arms and brought a hand to his chin, seemingly pensive. 

“Speaking of which, have you ordered what cannot be foraged ? Since those goods are imported from far away, it would be convenient to plan in advance."

Childe sighed.

“I know, but it's impossible for now. I’ve heard that there’s a disaster in the north-west, near Sakurajima. The authorities think it might be an especially dangerous fallen angel so they had to suspend overseas trading for a while. It even started to affect us here, in Nevras. Meanwhile, I heard that Palata and West Palata are in a serious food shortage since the fallen angel Mirage awakened : they barely have any food for themselves, so they can’t allow themselves to send out anything."

"Hm, then… Have you thought about Distant Seas ?"

"Distant Seas… ? I think I have an idea of where that might be. Anyway, it's too far from here and that would make the total cost way too high… Especially for a small restaurant like ours. In fact, Gloriville and Light Kingdom are the two only regions we can have a fair deal with these days."

“Is that so ? Then, may I ask where you are headed ?”

“To the south of Nevras, north of Gloriville. It’s not too far from here. I can’t afford being away for too long, after all.”

“May I come with you ?”

The other frowned, an expression of confusion and disbelief crossing his face.

“Huh ? Why ? I’ve gone there a few times before, I can go alone without getting lost. It’s not much to handle, really.”

“Please, allow me to accompany you; my duty as a food soul is to protect you.” he lowered his hand. “Mrs. Signora has kindly informed us of a recent spike of fallen angel activity in those parts, it would be better for me to come along as to guarantee your safety.”

“Zhongli… You don’t need to. I’ll be fine ! I can defend myself, I’m not the average, helpless kind of human you might have met before. I can manage, I swear !"

“Then tell me, what will you do if you encounter a fallen angel ? I am not talking about minions or any normal tribe, but ones that could pose a serious threat to your life and potentially endangering it. Please, do not misunderstand me. I do not doubt your capabilities, but I cannot let you come at harm and thus take a risk that could be easily avoided.”

“How about you tell me who will watch the restaurant in my absence ?”

“It is closed for today since it is a national holiday. Do you not remember ?”

“Ah, yeah. You’ve got a point.” Childe admitted. “Hm… You can come along, I guess.”

“Thank you, master attendant. I shall not disappoint you.” he gratefully bowed.

“Yeah, yeah.” Childe stood, bringing one of the straps of his backpack over his shoulder. “Please, hurry up. I want to come back before the sun sets.”

* * *

The afternoon sun hung high in the sky, its rays filtering through the trees and basking the surroundings in its comforting warmth. It has been a few hours since Childe and Zhongli headed out foraging, picking ingredients as they walked by. The sound of the small river flowing along their path was calming and gave for a quiet atmosphere, while an unpaved road before them extended itself beyond the horizon. The same path separated itself into a fork, the other part leading far into the wild. If anything, the ever growing vegetation indicated that they approached the outskirts of a forest : thus that they were nearing their destination. 

"We’re close, Zhongli.” Childe huffed, sitting on a nearby rock. “Don’t mind me, I’ll just take a breather before we continue in. You can rest too, if you want.”

The food soul stood still, staring at the water bottle his master attendant was handing him. “Childe…” he spoke up. “I appreciate the thought, but I do not need to drink. I cannot be dehydrated.”

“Oh, right.” he retracted his arm and put the bottle down next to him. “Speaking of which, I was wondering… Shouldn't you have changed into something, you know…” he pointed at him, gesturing up and down. “... More comfortable and practical ?" 

"What do you mean ?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Your… Your clothes.”

"Ah, these ?” he pointed at them. “They are not clothes." 

"What !?" Childe gaped.

"We Food souls do not need to wear clothes. In fact, the entirety of this appearance of mine is part of my spirit. What you are able to perceive is somewhat of an illusion." he shrugged. "Of course, it is possible for us to wear them, but it is not necessary. "

"So you've been naked this entire time- Wait- No. Nevermind. Forget I even asked in the first place." he mumbled. “Anyway, let’s keep going. I don’t want to go back home too late.” he jumped off his seat and stood up, promptly adjusting the backpack weighing lightly on his shoulders.

“As you wish. Please, lead the way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's lore summary :  
> \- A "Disaster" is the name attributed to the presence of a large, powerful fallen angel and its potential to attack nearby regions from the sea;  
> \- The seven regions were mentioned, in-game order they are : Gloriville, Light Kingdom, Nevras, Sakurajima, Palata, West Palata and Distant Seas;  
> \- Fallen angels themselves are separated into different categories : companions (rubes), tribes, evolved (minions), normal and special;  
> \- Food souls can partially choose what they want to look like, if not completely. Their appearance is part of the physical manifestation of their spirit;  
> \- Following this fact, some food souls who carry or wear accessories (ex : smoking pipes) have also confirmed those to be a "part" of them.


	5. Gingko Leaves and Strange Traces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Childe and Zhongli arrives at their destination and get to know each other more, that is until something unexpected happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again ! I'm sorry for not updating for about a week, I had this in my drafts for a few days until I decided to clear this chapter today.  
> In truth, I was half-way into writer's block. My English isn't as developed as my native language, so I often convey my ideas better in it.  
> Yes, to the detriment of my English. I did try to do my best, tho ! It's also longer description-wise, kinda.
> 
> As always, I hope you enjoy your read c:

_Delicate golden ginkgo leaves fluttered in the gentle breeze, their colors standing out amidst the rather bland autumn landscape. Under a tree sat Guizhong, her beige colored hair flowed gently in the wind and the lily’s petals, adorning her head, fluttered as well._

_"Osmanthus!" Her eyes lit up and her lips curved into a sincere smile at the mere sight of the man. "I'm glad you're safe."_

_Osmanthus Wine walked towards her but remained standing next to the young woman. He glanced at her, his stern gaze somewhat conveying an expression of concern. "Guizhong. We should leave."_

_"Huh, why ?"_

_"The fallen angels have become particularly active around this area." He paused. "I fear for our safety."_

_"What makes you say so ?"_

_"Havria has been slain and I have not seen Osial in a long time. The last time I did, however, he seemed to be different : It would be unsurprising of him to have turned into a fallen angel.”_

_“And what if he hasn’t ? We should go find him !”_

_“Guizhong… It is too late to come to his aid. It is no longer safe around these parts and we cannot risk endangering each others' lives knowing that the risk could be easily avoided.”_

_She frowned, a mix of frustration and worry crossed her usually cheerful and light-hearted face._

_“Please, do not be impulsive.”_

_"...Where ?” she mumbled. “Where should we go then ?"_

_"To the south ; I have been informed that there is a small town inhabited by humans. It might not be as comfortable as we are here, but it shall do."_

_“And… When do we leave ?”_ _  
__  
__“Tomorrow, early in the morning. Please, prepare what you must and we shall leave at dawn.”_

* * *

The rays of the afternoon sun filtered through the tall trees as a fresh wind blew through the branches, their leaves swaying at the gentle breeze. The man-made path, defined by years of humans and food souls alike, led to a lush trail : it had been seemingly long since abandoned as it was overtaken by overgrown vegetation. However, as one looked further away into the forest, it became apparent that something had occurred : most trees seemed to have died or been relentlessly broken while the plants had withered or been uprooted. The ground had been seemingly deprived of vegetation for a while as, the deeper they advanced through the forest, the more barren the landscape became. 

Childe stopped in his tracks and crouched to examine the plant the nearest to him : against all odds, it had remained intact. A glimpse of something, however, had caught all of his attention. He patted the soil, feeling the mysterious trace that had been left behind in the dirt, molded by the mud and dried as to preserve a hint as to what could have possibly left it. Noticing his curiosity, his food soul followed shortly soon after. He stood behind his young master attendant, looking over his shoulder. 

“Master att- Childe, is everything alright ?”

Even he had noticed that marks looked strange and foreign. As neither did it belong to a humanoid form, nor to or an animal known to be part of the local fauna.

"Yeah, I think so. This looks really bad…. Like something roamed around here recently and wreaked havoc." He sighed then stood up, bringing a head to scratch the back of his head. "I wonder if there’s gonna be anything salvageable anymore, even just a little bit. As for these traces…” He looked over at Osmanthus Wine. “Zhongli, can you make anything out of them ?”

“Ah,” the food soul began, cupping his chin in his hand. “While I am incertain and do not wish to jump to any arbitrary conclusion, it seems to me that something of a significant size has been through these parts. One certainly large enough to have caused this disorder. As for these traces…” he squinted slightly. “Certainly It must be from a tail or some other kind of appendage... Perhaps a tentacle ?”

“A… Tentacle ? Really ? We aren't even anywhere near the shore. Heck, we’re even in the middle of nowhere !"

“Indeed, but considering that we are in the vicinity of Gloriville, I believe that it would be unlikely to be an Aizen…”

_“Aizen.” Guizhong’s voice came to his mind. “A fallen angel born from the souls of those who have died by drinking excessively. The people of Light Kingdom are renowned for their alcoholism, and so many of them have lost their life to it. Aizen himself is a fallen angel that represents alcohol.”_

“... I have seen many in my lifetime,” he pursued. “So I can ascertain that it is not what we might face here. Fortunately, yet unfortunately, the other possibility can be… Bothersome.”

“Bothersome ? How come ?”

“As in volatile. Likewise, it is a fallen angel. One that is pretty common and which can represent an annoyance, yet it is rumored to possess another, most horrendous form… Only a handful of humans have seen it or at least lived to tell about it. If it turns out to be the case, then it might become very dangerous to say the least. I am able to repel it if the need comes to be, but I cannot say the same about guaranteeing your safety ; protection may prove difficult against a vicious, unpredictable being such as it is. It is nearly impossible to determine if it will use its transformation as a last resort or even less, accurately predict when the process will occur.”

“Right… Something something lots of words I don’t understand something. What’s its name anyway ?”  
  
“Uke Mochi.” he stared at Childe as this one approached him.  
  
“Ah yeah, I’ve read about it in a book once. It’s also the fallen angel the most commonly used in children’s storybooks to scare them into behaving. Something about making them fear it… It somehow worked for my siblings, surprisingly. I used to think that it was just a legend, like that supposed ghost of a former chief guild member turned fallen angel back home, in Nevras.”

“Do not be foolish, it is very much real.”

“Yep ! And I’ll take your word for it. I trust you, you know... Anyway, let’s continue on this path, maybe we’ll find something edible to bring back.”

The master attendant and his food soul continued on their path, clearing any obstacle that would impede them or prevent them from going any further. It was no longer as awkward between them. In fact, the silence between them would often be comfortable, it would even occasionally be broken by either of them. Mostly Childe, as he had a lot on his mind, so a lot to tell the other. Despite this one’s inhuman nature, it did not stop him from sharing stories from his previous life. The one before he had joined the chefs’ guild. 

“I come from this small village in the north of Nevras, it can be very cold there so the people there live off ice fishing and food souls are a rare sight. I should bring you there with me sometimes, when I get to go back home for a while. I don’t think it’ll be anytime soon though. There are a lot of things left to do at the restaurant and since I officially became a master attendant, it will only add more to my load of work. Seriously, the pile’s getting ridiculously big.” he sighed. “If only I had more free time to go visit back home, I miss my siblings and they must also miss me horribly.”  
  
“How so ?” Zhongli inquired, raising an eyebrow. “You have never mentioned your siblings before, I... Would like to know more about them.”

Childe turned his head, looking at him as a wide grin spread across his face.

“Ah, really ? And here I thought that I was boring you with all of my rambling ! Eh, I guess I can tell you some stuff about them. I have a little sister named Tonia, as well as two brothers named Anthon and Teucer. Teucer’s the youngest of the family ! He can be a bit mischievous and stubborn at times, but he means well ! He’s a good kid, and even I’ll admit that I spoil him too much sometimes.”

“Ah ? Is that so…” he turned his head, a slight wistful smirk forming on his lips. “You are lucky to have him, and he is lucky to have you as his big brother.”

“Eh. Thanks, Zhongli. What about you ? I mean I don’t know if food souls can have a family too but… I’ll ask anyway.”

“A… family ? Well... While it is not my case, there was in fact someone that, looking back, could have been considered as such. We were not related nor were we summoned together, as I do not know if she belonged to humanity or not, but I know for certain that she was very dear to me.”

“She ? So, a woman ? What happened to her ? Is she… You know, no longer with us ?”

He stayed quiet for a moment.

“I must apologize to Childe, I do not wish to discuss the matter any further.” the other nodded in understanding at his statement. “However, I would like to know something else about you.”

“And what could it be ?” 

“Childe, tell me. Why did you become a master attendant ?”

“That’s a good question”. paused Childe. “I guess you could say, for my family’s sake. Despite living in a region known for its wealthy academy it can’t be said the same about its entirety. The village I come from is pretty poor, and my family is of no exception. I became a master attendant in hope that I could help provide to my family, to somehow share some of the burden my parents bore for so long. I want them to feel relieved of their duties, and for my siblings to be happy and grow up healthily. Unlike-”

A distant thud interrupted his train of thoughts as well as it ended the conversation between them. A tree fell, another, followed by many others. A rustling sound, then the persistent noise of branches cracking, snapping one by one. As soon as he heard them, Zhongli had gently yet firmly pushed Childe to the side and taken a defensive stance. The various sounds and diverses noises were moving closer towards them at an alarmingly fast rate until there was nothing but silence. An ephemary silence, as it was soon broken by a low, yet audible, growling sound. The growl had turned into snarl until it became a fully, otherworldly roar.

“... I fear that my assumption was correct.” the food soul affirmed, promptly tossing them away from a huge tentacle that had whipped through the air and attempted to aim for them.

An amorphous, grotesque figure towered over them : a black mass with many eyes, a large maw with rows of sharp teeth, two long tongues loosely hanging from it and, to top it off, a myriad of tentacles connecting the two parts of its “body” together.

“Uke mochi, enhanced form.” he closed his eyes, summoning a weapon in his hands : a spear, or perhaps a polearm made of brown jade : its sharp edges glowed, pulsing light in tandem with his amber colored eyes . “Childe... Or should I say master attendant… ? Please, stay behind me for your own safety. You may hide if it becomes necessary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A clarification + the usual lore summary :  
> \- In this AU, Havria and Osial were also food souls. Havria died, while Osial became a fallen angel himself;  
> \- Aizen is classified as a "normal" category fallen angel, it is the personification of alcohol and originates from deaths by alcohol poisoning;  
> \- The fallen angel Childe refers to is known as "Spectra";  
> \- Uke Mochi also is classified as a "normal" fallen angel, it also has an alternate, enhanced form that promotes it into the "special" category;  
> \- Lore-wise, the ocean and the seas of Tierra are only inhabited by aquatic fallen angels. The more we know.
> 
> \---
> 
> Internships are starting soon for me, so this fic might go on hiatus or get very slowly updated.  
> Sorry again, and thanks for reading ! Kudos mean a lot to me and comments are appreciated !  
> Mistakes will be corrected soon !


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